Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences at SUNY College at Geneseo

Starting salaries around $27,000 are concerning for a geosciences degree—this sits in just the 5th percentile nationally and trails New York's state median by more than $10,000. For context, other SUNY schools like Buffalo and New Paltz see their geosciences graduates earning $40,000+ in their first year. The debt load here is typical (around $24,000), but when paired with such low initial earnings, you're looking at a debt-to-income ratio of 0.89—meaning nearly a full year's salary would go toward paying off loans.

The small sample size is crucial here. With fewer than 30 graduates reporting, these numbers might not represent the typical outcome. Perhaps most graduates are pursuing graduate school rather than immediate employment, which would explain the unusually low earnings without reflecting poorly on the program itself. Geosciences careers often require advanced degrees, and if that's the path most Geneseo students take, first-year earnings become less relevant.

Before ruling this out, contact the department directly to understand where recent graduates actually land. If most are in graduate programs or field positions that lead to better long-term prospects, the initial salary gap matters less. But if students typically enter the workforce immediately, the $10,000+ earnings disadvantage compared to peer SUNY programs demands explanation.